Gas vent



Feb. 9, 1932. E 1,844,523

GAS VENT Filed March 10. 1930 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE IRVING K. PECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ASSOCIATEDENGINEERS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS GASVENT Application filed March 10, 1930.

My invention relates to gas lines.

The three general means of transporting gas to customers are by means ofso-called low, intermediate, and high pressure means or systems. Gasappliances in homes, etc., are generally designed to utilize gas atpressures of from four to eight inches of water, and the low pressuresystems transport gas through the city streets, alleys, etc., connectingwith the customers services, meters, and house pipings at this pressure.In many cases, however, gas is delivered through the mains or systems atpressures higher than that for which the gas appliances are designed sayfrom fifteen inches of water to five or more pounds of pressure and itis then necessary to install what is termed a house regulator, orgovernor, in the service line where it enters the house which is usuallyin the basement.

The purpose 0]": this regulator is to reduce the main pressure to thatfor which the gas appliances are designed, namely to around four toeight inches of water. Where the high pressures are used, which may varyfrom fifteen to one hundred or more pounds per square inch, a regulatoris used also as in the case 'just mentioned. In fact, a regulator isalways used where the pressure of the gas supply is appreciably higherthan the pressure used by the appliances.

In order to safeguard the customers, should a regulator fail to operateproperly, from having these high pressures in the pipings, meters, andappliances, thereby creating a hazard, the regulator is generally ventedby means of a self contained mercury or dead weight seal and a pipeleading to the outdoors. Obviously, it is necessary that this line andoutdoor opening be kept unobstructed to guarantee the proper venting ofany gases. The common practice has been to run a so-called pipe nippleor a short length of pipe through the building wall approximatelyeighteen inches above the ground level and to leave this piece of pipeopen to the atmosphere or to connect an ordinary pipe elbow, etc, to theend of it to direct the opening down so as to prevent rain, snow, etc.from entering and blocking the opening. Such a venting device for SerialNo. 434,802.

small round openings lend themselves to being easily plugged by anyonewith a piece of rag, sticks, or small stones, and insects often buildtheir nests inside and across this opening which results in its becomingclogged.

The principal purpose of this invention is to provide a one piece unitwhich may be installed on the end of the pipe projecting through thewall, which unit is so constructed as to make it practically impossibleto completely plug the vent or have it freeze over in the winter.

More particularly the purpose of this in vention is to provide a vent ofthis nature having a clown-turned outlet that is webbed and recessed toeliminate plugging, and also has an additional opening so close to thebuilding wall as to practically prevent physical plugging.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will appear as thedescription proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein the preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to beunderstood, however, that the disclosure is illustrative only and is notto be taken as limiting the invention ex cept in so far as it is limitedby the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing theusual gas installation where regulation and vent are required, and theposition of the venting device which forms the subject matter of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the vent and the pipe to which itis attached;

Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the vent;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the vent;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a slightly modified form of vent;and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the vent shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the usual intermediate or highpressure gas installation will consist of the inlet conduit 10 whichenters the basement under ground and passes upwardly through theregulator 11 to the meter 12 from which the distributing pipe 13'runs tothe various appliances. The regulator 11, of course, servesashereinbefore 5 invention.

The regulator 11, however, isvented by means of the upwardly extendingpipe 14 having the horizontal nipple 15 extending through the wall ofthe building to the ex terior thereof a short distance above the ground.The outer end of this pipe-l5 has my improved vent element 16 thereon.

of a one piece casting or forging havingan interiorly screw-threadedneck 17 to fit over the end of the pipe 15, and preferably the element16 is screwed on suficiently to make it fit rather tightly up againstthe wall of the building. The casting 16 then has a dependingportion 18which as shown is substantially rectangular in cross section and has anopening downward at 19 which opening is divided by the webs 20 and 21into a plurality of smaller outlets. The opening is also preferablyrecessed as indicated at 22 so as to prevent water which falls on theexterior from reaching the webs 20 and 21 and to further aid inpreventing plugging of the outlet.

In addition, the depending extension 18 has on the face thereof which isdirected toward the wall an additional vent opening 23. This opening ispreferably directed somewhat downwardly so as to drain readily andprevent water from getting inside the hollow casting 16. Its positionwith respect to the building'wall is such as to make it practicallyimpossible'for it to become clogged by the insertion of any material,and the position of the two openingsl9 and 23 areas will be seen suchthat there is very little likelihood of both of them being plugged atthe same time. Moreover, owing to the fact that they are directed indifierent directions, air circulation through them is encouraged whichwill tend to prevent insects such as spiders and the like from buildingnests that would plug them.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a slightly different form of vent casting is used. Thiscasting consists of the ring 24: which is connected by a series of webssuch as 27 which cap completely surrounds the ring 2 1 but is offsetlaterally with respect thereto so that the ring 24 may be screwed upagainst .portion This element 16 is preferably in the form itnevertheless has certain advantages in that it cannot be turned wrongside up and left facing upwardly accidentally. It is, however, moresubject to being clogged by rain or freezing, and the form in Fig. 2 to4: is considered the preferred form.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: I 1. A ventcap for gas systems comprising aone piece casing having a screw threaded to receive an outlet pipe andhaving a plurality of outlet openings at least one of which is directedin the same general direction as the screw threaded portion, some ofsaid openingsbeing at different level than others.

2. A vent cap for gas vent pipes comprising a one piece hollow casinghaving a lateral opening; screw threaded to receive the pipe and havinga depending rectangular portion provided with outlet openings in thelower end and a lateral outlet opening beneath the first named lateralopening.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day ofFebruary, APD.

. IRVING-K. PECK.

25 and 26 to an exterior cap the building and still leave a slight spacehe.

tween the cap and the building wall which space would be rather hard toplug, particularly in view of the fact'that the openings between thewebs such as 25 and 26 are spaced entirely around the ring 24 andan'effective plugging could only be accomplished by something whichencircles the plug 24 between the cap 27 and the wall. -While this formdoes not have the advantages of the form illustrated in Figs. 2to 4; I

